Community Engagement

Nature Valley granola bars, with a long history of supporting and protecting America's national parks, today announced an extension of that support. Nature Valley will partner with the National Park Foundation (NPF), the official nonprofit partner to the National Park Service, for the Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque movement. Nature Valley's support includes a three-year commitment and a donation of up to $3 million.

As each school year approaches, schools and teachers gather the supplies and equipment they need to provide effective learning for students. But too often, gaps in funding force schools to make difficult decisions about what they need the most. For more than 20 years, one program has been helping bridge that gap for schools across the country, and in late September, supporters are gearing up to raise more money than ever.

General Mills has taken another step toward its climate goal with the signing of a virtual 15-year power purchase agreement with Renewable Energy Systems (RES) for 100-megawatts (MW) of its Cactus Flats wind project. The wind project will produce renewable energy credits for General Mills that can be applied toward the company’s greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. During the peak of construction, the project will create about 250 jobs in the clean energy workforce.

General Mills released its 2017 Global Responsibility Report, outlining the company’s approach to creating environmental, social and economic value in the countries where it operates. General Mills continues to make significant progress toward nutrition improvements and sustainable sourcing of their food, as well as climate and pollinator protection – all key highlights of this year’s report.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – Shoppers may notice something unusual about the boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios on grocery store shelves this spring -- "BuzzBee," the brand’s iconic spokesbee, is missing and there's a very important reason why. Buzz disappeared from boxes because there's something serious going on with the world's pollinators.

ANAHEIM, California – Cascadian Farm, a pioneer in the organic food movement, and parent company General Mills today announced their work with The Land Institute to help commercialize organic Kernza, a perennial grain and wild relative of annual wheat, whose deep roots show promise to increase soil health, carbon sequestration, water retention and enhance surrounding wildlife habitat. The sweet- and nutty-tasting grain lends itself particularly well as an ingredient for cereal and snacks.

General Mills has been recognized as a global climate leader and has been named to the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) Climate A-List, Supplier Engagement Leader Board and Supplier Climate A-List. The company is among the 9 percent of global corporations participating in CDP’s climate change program to be awarded a position on the Climate A-List, in recognition of its performance and actions to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change in the past reporting year.

Today, General Mills released its 2016 Global Responsibility Report, which outlines the company’s goals and progress in the areas of health and wellness, sustainability, workplace and community engagement.

General Mills announces its 150th birthday today with plans for a year-long celebration. To celebrate its impact on a century and a half of food around the world, General Mills will share and highlight nostalgic food memorabilia from its historical archives. And honoring its journey of developing leading brands, life-changing inventions and cultural icons, General Mills is pledging “a future of continued innovation – and striving to help make its communities and the world a better place.”

Former Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick, urged a sold-out audience at this morning’s 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast on January 18 to reflect on the parallels between the American dream and Dr. King’s legacy.

Former two-time Governor of Massachusetts and author Deval Patrick will deliver the keynote speech at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast on Monday, January 18, 2016, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. This is the 26th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast, which is organized in partnership by the General Mills Foundation and United Negro College Fund (UNCF).

General Mills released its annual Global Responsibility Report, which outlines the company’s approach to creating economic, environmental and social value in the countries where it operates. General Mills reports progress on the most material topics related to its business – health and wellness, environment, sourcing, workplace and community engagement.

General Mills was recognized today as one of America’s most community-minded companies in The Civic 50, an annual initiative that identifies and recognizes companies for their commitment to improve the quality of life in the communities where they do business. The survey was conducted by Points of Light in partnership with Bloomberg LP.

General Mills chairman and chief executive officer Ken Powell joined Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. president and chief executive officer Doug McMillon to announce a commitment to accelerate innovation in sustainable agriculture and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The announcement was made in Bentonville, Ark., at Walmart’s first ever Sustainability Product Expo.

General Mills has released its annual Global Responsibility Report, outlining its approach to creating economic, environmental and social value in the countries where it operates. The company reported progress in the areas most material to its business – health, environment, sourcing, workplace and community engagement.

Today, Donna Brazile, well-known political commentator, strategist and author, encouraged the audience at this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast to judge success not by wealth, but by the quality of service to others.

As part of the General Mills long term sustainable sourcing program, the company and its Foundation announced a four-year joint commitment with supplier partner AgroMantaro to provide $1.1 million to help smallholder artichoke farmers in Peru increase yields and improve profitability. The new program will reach nearly 100 small-scale artichoke farmers in Peru.

Today, during an event where First Lady Michelle Obama discussed the need for increased physical activity opportunities in schools, the General Mills Foundation committed $10 million to help implement the new Presidential Youth Fitness Program, a comprehensive, school-based fitness assessment program.

General Mills and Häagen-Dazs today announced an initiative designed to foster greater economic vitality for smallholder vanilla farmers in Madagascar and ensure the availability of high quality vanilla for future generations.

In response to the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast of the United States Monday and Tuesday, General Mills and the General Mills Foundation today announced a commitment of $250,000 to aid disaster relief efforts.

The General Mills Foundation today announced 50 grants of $10,000 each to nonprofit organizations across the Twin Cities with programs designed to improve the lives of people within the local communities of color.

The General Mills Foundation, in collaboration with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation, announced the recipients of its 2012 Champions for Healthy Kids grants. As part of the program’s 10 year anniversary, 10 ‘best of the best’ legacy award recipients were selected from previous Champions for Healthy Kids grantees. Each organization was awarded $50,000 to continue their proven programming to improve nutrition and physical fitness behaviors among youth.

General Mills Foodservice has awarded grants up to $3,000 each to 39 K-12 schools across the country through the National Dairy Council Fuel Up Breakfast Grant program. A total of $100,000 in funding was awarded to help schools build or expand their breakfast programs.

General Mills joined corporations and community partners from across Minnesota today to launch Hunger-Free Minnesota, a three-year initiative with the goal of sustainably adding 100 million meals annually for hungry children and adults in the state. General Mills today pledged $1 million in financial support which will be used to fund initiatives that will expand existing programs and increase efficiencies within the emergency food system, the Minnesota Food Support Program and Child Nutrition Programs.

At a monthly gathering of community leaders from the Hawthorne neighborhood of North Minneapolis, the General Mills Foundation announced plans for long-term support of North Minneapolis’ rebuilding efforts following the devastating tornadoes that struck the area a week ago. Today’s announcement is in addition to the General Mills Foundation’s previous pledge of $25,000 to support immediate disaster response efforts in North Minneapolis.

General Mills today kicks off its annual “Think Global, Volunteer Local” campaign, a series of global volunteer projects that celebrates two of the company’s core values – volunteerism and sustainability.

General Mills today announced the availability of its 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report covering the company’s progress on health, community and environmental initiatives. The report can be viewed or downloaded on the company’s new CSR website.

As the country’s number one source of whole grain at breakfast, General Mills is helping close the whole grain gap by donating 1 million servings of whole grain cereal and challenging Americans to increase their whole grain consumption.

In its third year, Feeding Dreams has generated a strong following and much excitement. Continuing the grassroots program’s legacy of celebrating everyday heroes who are doing extraordinary things, General Mills is expanding its reach from four to 10 southeastern markets to recognize Black Community Champions who selflessly volunteer to improve their neighborhoods.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and National Volunteer Week, General Mills is kicking off a coordinated series of global volunteer projects through a program called “Think Global, Volunteer Local.”